Employee accused of stealing thousands in supplies from Aramark

Updated 1:19 pm, Wednesday, September 10, 2014

An Aramark employee has been accused of stealing a large amount of property from the food service and supple company, according to Harris County court documents.

Arturo Garza, 45, has been charged with aggregate theft after a private investigation revealed that a member of his family was reselling stolen goods at a garage sale at their home. An anonymous tipster led Aramark management to the thefts, which according to court documents total nearly $32,000.

The Houston Astros and Aramark, the team’s longtime food and beverage provider, announced back in April that they had signed a long term extension of their partnership at Minute Maid Park.

According to the Harris County affidavit, Garza is accused of pilfering six water dispensers, four grinders, 36 coffee makers, three carafes, three drink stations, two ice makers, two blenders, one tea dispenser, one water cooler, and 23 boxes of assorted coffee machine parts. These items were reportedly stolen between Aug. 2013 and Aug. 2014. It was believed that Garza took the items from a company warehouse in Houston to resell after he fell on lean economic times.

A private investigator went to Garza’s father’s house where it was discovered that a selection of the Aramark items were being sold in a yard sale. Using serial numbers affixed by Aramark it was confirmed that they were from the food service outfit. Later Garza was observed by a witness driving an Aramark vehicle up the driveway at another residence and unloading unidentified items.

A search warrant obtained by Houston police later lead to the retrieval of the stolen goods. Garza told police that his father was not told that the items were in fact stolen.

Aramark corporate spokesman David Freireich said Wednesday that Garza has since been terminated from the company.

"When we became aware of a situation involving stolen property belonging to our company, we contacted the authorities and have been cooperating with them in their investigation," Freireich said in a statement.

According to Harris County court records Garza is currently in custody pending $60,000 bond.